


The Last Of Me

by TheatricalAssassin



Category: Max Steel (TV 2013)
Genre: Angst, Comfort, Depression, Mental Link, Other, Queerplatonic Relationships, Suicidal Thoughts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-25
Updated: 2016-09-25
Packaged: 2018-08-17 03:49:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8129344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheatricalAssassin/pseuds/TheatricalAssassin
Summary: 「You can keep the last of me
  
  I don't care
  
  I'm obsolete
  
  You have seen the last of me
  
  Wring my neck
  
  I won't feel a thing」





	

**Author's Note:**

> It's like 4am and I'm not even remotely sorry for whatever this is

Life of a superhero was hard, but Steel sometimes couldn’t understand how hard it was on his host Max. The two together were nearly an unstoppable force, once they put their minds to it nothing would stop them from doing just about anything. Well... nothing that requires higher math, Steel has learned that Max just can’t make those kinds of calculations when he’s got all the time in the world let alone trying to do it on the fly. Sometimes Steel wished that his host  _ didn’t _ have to have a secret identity, to him such a thing didn’t make much if any sense. Max’s grades were suffering, his ability to keep up his social life (however small it may be) is just as bad, and the poor kid is getting less sleep than a double major writing their dissertations. However today was the day for some big exam, and when they weren’t patrolling Max was trying desperately to study, but time’s up and it’s time to get to Thornhill’s class and see if this is the test Max’ll be able to pass. Steel certainly hoped so, if Max’s grades get any worse he’ll have to repeat the class. 

Although he didn’t need the link to see Max racing down the hall to make it to chemistry on time Steel could certainly feel it as everything in the backpack bounced against him and hit him with every step. Just as he slide into the room the bell rang and Steel’s vision was filled with the unpleasant visage of Mr. Thornwood.

“Mr McGrath!” The devil yelled “This is the 5th time  _ in a  _ **_row_ ** you’ve been late to my class!”

“I’m sorry Mr Thornwood,” Max’s voice shaking “I was having trouble with my truck and...” 

“That doesn’t matter, I’ll deal with you  _ after _ class.” The man said pointing to Max’s place next to Kirby

Max turned to look at Kirby, the chilled out dude flashed Max an apologetic smile and Steel assumed that Max returned the gesture, he was like that a lot of the time. The tests were passed out and Max reached into the bag to look for his graphing calculator, to which Steel handed him. The more time this poor soul had to suffer through this exam the better. The feeling of frustration began to wash over him, Max’s vitals were steadily rising, and his hands were shaking. ‘ _ Last night must have been harder on him than I thought _ ’ Steel thought concerned, which only grew as he could feel the tears start to well up. Max never cried at school, he hated appearing out of control of himself, he hated doing anything that drew unnecessary attention. 

<Max, bro, everything ok?> The Ultralink finally asked, sitting in the backpack feeling barely contained feelings wasn’t going to end well for anyone <Is it the test? Lemme give you the answers, then we can ditch school and go on patrol or something>

<I’m, yea, I’m okay Steel> His voice carried the same tone that he had with Thornwood <I got this>

<Alrighty bro, just know I’m here.> Steel stated matter a factly <If you need it I can make it look like you actually did study and you passed because of it, and it not look like you cheated>   
<Oh? And how’s that?> He asked a smile creeping onto his face 

<Because I know what old Thornbush won’t look twice at>

Max snorted, and tried desperately to suppress laughter. He continued to ponder his chemistry exam, as well as other things. Most of the time Max is an open book to Steel, also mostly due to their link. Being in touch with each other’s mental state does sometimes help, other times it means you gotta remind your host to get back on topic when he starts mentally singing the 4kids Pirate Rap. The class drug on and it was about time for Steel to go and troll forums until he realized that Max hasn’t made much progress, he’s too busy fighting himself to actually do the test. 

<Max> Steel said sternly <I think we might have to leave>

He didn’t get an answer, not over the link, instead it was a small nod. That wasn’t enough, skipping class in this state means Steel needs Max’s hands, he  _ needed _ to hear Max say it

<Yea... yea that’d be nice> Max was on the verge of crying 

Without hesitation Steel took up control over the Steel Suit, he scribbled down answers and was sure to show his work so Thornfuck wouldn’t mark points off for not showing every single step. Steel couldn’t make Max say anything he didn’t want to, Max’s actual body was still his to control so this next part depended on Max being able to keep it together long enough for them to sneak out. 

“Ah, finished already Mr McGrath?” the teacher snidely comments

“Yes sir, may I go to the bathroom?” Max had long learned that if you didn’t say ‘may’ instead of ‘can’ then he won’t let you go

“Yes, you  _ may _ ” He didn’t bother to give Max the hall pass, sometimes the raisin bran of a man is able to realize when a student needs more than five minutes

A quiet thank you was all Thornhill got in response, Max held onto the strap of his backpack as if his life depended on it. They made a quick pitstop at his locker and dropped it off there, whatever homework he had for his other classes were going to wait for another time. Steel flew up out of it and linked up once again with Max, the rush of Turbo energy was positively electrifying, and with that they were ready to slip out. Max speed walked over to the bathroom and did a quick check to see if anyone was inside. For extra safety so did Steel, unlinking and scanning the stalls for any humanoid life. Thankfully, there was none. This wasn’t the time to yell their catchphrase, and with the approval of Max, Steel quickly overwrote the Steel Suit to switch modes from Camouflage to Stealth. 

With Max’s blue jeans and hoodie now replaced with black combat armor they stuck out like a sore thumb. With a blink of an eye they were here, and then they weren't. Well in reality they were, but one just couldn’t see them. Slipping out of the bathroom quiet like the duo were able to make their way to the front door, padded feet not making much sound but they walked just in case running would give them away. Watching the office carefully they managed to get a time and ran for the door. Once outside they were able to actually switch modes the ‘proper’ way, Max struck a pose and Steel linked up. Someone was sure to hear Max’s battle cry, even if there wasn’t a fight, as they transformed to Flight Mode. 

They blasted away from the school grounds at mach speeds, and it didn’t take long for Max to need to land, they picked a spot outside of town in the desert. No one would bother them here. As they touched down Steel was hit with a wave of emotions that Max was struggling to deal with, things that Steel wasn’t even sure how to handle himself. 

“Max” Steel started

“Don’t.” Max cut him off “I know what you’re going to say, it’s the same time that everyone says. ‘Oh it gets better!’” The helmet dematerialized so he could wipe away tears “Everyone always says that it gets better but I can’t see that Steel, I can’t. ‘Things’ll be better tomorrow!’ I’m  _ fighting _ for a better tomorrow and if it wasn’t for you I’d...” 

Oh

“Max, as far as I know humans are basically designed to seek out the negative. So you might not be able to see the positive right now. How did the saying go? ‘Its always darkest before the dawn’?” Steel didn’t know how to handle any of this, he could feel second hand everything that Max was, it was distressing even more so that he couldn’t get something to bridge the gap between them on this

“That’s what they say but, half the time I don’t even feel like I’m a real person you know? What proof is there that N-Tek didn’t do something to me a kid? What proof is there that they didn’t just... make me at some lab.” 

“We know they’re lying about something” Great start there Steel, 10/10 “But I’m certain it’s not that, that’s kind of a hard thing to keep secret”

Max looked at the cliff's edge and back to Steel “Yea, especially since I’ve been in public school”

Putting a servo on Max’s shoulder he smiled at Max, or rather put a smiley face emoji on his face. 

“Honestly,” Max started taking a deep breath “If it wasn’t for you, I probably would have killed myself by now. This life I can't, keep up, I can’t live both. Being ‘Max Steel’ is stressful enough, trying to be ‘Max McGrath’ is just another layer of difficult that I didn’t ask for”

“Technically neither of us asked for this, we are kind of stuck with each other”

“Haha yea, and if N-Tek was able to actually communicate maybe Dredd would have never found out about us”

They looked at each other, a genuine smile on both of their faces and in perfect synchronization they said

“Fuck N-Tek” 

**Author's Note:**

> It's been a year and I'm still salty about N-Tek


End file.
